Method of drilling wells.



PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906.

H. R. DECKER.

METHOD OF DRILLING WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1905.

guuen foz Witnesses HARRY R. DECKER, O-F BEAUMONT, TEXAS METHOD OF DRILLING WELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent. V

Patented 0a. 30, 19cc.

hpplicatiou filed August 5 1905. Serial No. 272,923.

To a. whom it ww/y concern: Be it known that I, HARRY R. DECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaumont, in the county of Jefferson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Drilling Wells, of which the following isa specification.

It is found in drilling water and oil wells by what is known as the rotary rocess in the sections of this country forme by alluvial deposits that the greatest trouble and difficulties, and which have been considered unavoidable, are usually encountered in the up er or shallow portions of the wells while dri ling through sand or other caving strata containing Artesian-water fiow, gas under pressure, gravel, or nigger-head boulders.

When Artesian water is encountered, the flow purges the well of its mud-ladened water, which it is-necessary to use in effective drilling by the rotary process. The clear water flowin upward washes from the bore of the well t e mud casing which has radually been built up by the use of mud-la ened water, and the walls of the well commence to .cave in, which increases as the uninterrupted Artesian flow of clear water continues.

When gas is encountered having a pressure greater than the pressure exerted by the column of mud-laden water used in the process of drilling, its ressure necessarily lifts or forces the mudadened water from the well. The as thus secures for itself full and unrestraine vent or escape, and 'in nearly every case its terrific velocity rends asunder the walls of the well-bore, so that it becomes impossible to repair them, and they are frequently abandoned.

When gravel or nigger-head boulders are encountered, the constant agitation and washing tendenc of the water being pumped through the dri l-pipe to the point of the drill causes the gravel and stones to constantly funnel in and fall to the bottom of the well, either materially retarding and impeding the progress of the drilling or chocking the bore altogether.

, t is found in drilling wells by the rotary rocess that the column of water used to ush the bore of the well exerts a ressure on the well proportioned to its dept and that when a sand stratum or soft formation is encountered this water penetratesthe sand, and as the water contains mud in solution the particles of mud are filtered from the sand and serve to form a conglomerate mud and sand casing pro ortioned in strength to the amount of mu held in solution and the pressure of the water determined by the height of the column. This conglomerate casing extends into the sand stratum on all sides of the bore of the well, being of the greatestdensity next to the bore and extending back into the stratum or pocket with decreasing density.

In ordinary cases when the well is at a great depth the weight of the water column is sufficient to drive the mud into the sand and form a casing having density enough to overcome its caving tendency, but when a pocket or stratum of sand or other soft formation containing an Artesian flow of water or containin gravel or stone is encountered at a lesser epth the pressure of the water column is not sufficient to form a solid casing of mud or conglomerate, and the bore becomes chocked with the gravel or boulders, as above described.

My invention relates to drilling wells of the character above described and to form casings to hold back the sand, Artesian flow,

gas, stone, and gravel in pockets or strata thereof when encountered at such a depth that the weight of the column of water is not sufficient to form a mud casing of proper density and strength and consists of the method hereinafter described, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of a well-drilling machine used in carryin out my method, and Fig. 2 a view of a wellore showing the application of my method.

The machine shown in Fig. 1 is the subject of a patent granted to me on July 7,1903, No. 732,925, and will not be particularly described further than to briefly state the parts necessary to an understanding of my method. In said Fig. 1, A re resents the drill-bit, secured to a tubular rill-rod B, and C the tubular casing that is lowered behind the drillbit and forms the well-tube when oil or gas has been struck. At the top of casing C, I secure a housing I), in whic are mounted valves operated b the screw-rods E for clamping the tubu ar drill-rod B and preventing the egress of water when desired. Just below housing D is a lateral outlet-pipe F, secured to the casin O and emptying 1nto a tank or other suita le recep'jacle G. H represents a cut-off valve, w closed when desired to hold the column of h may be water in the well-bore for the ur ose stated in said Patent N 0. 732,925 or or t 1e purpose hereinafter stated. I represents a suitable ump connected, b means of hose or tubing with tubular dri l-rod B, said ump being su plied with water by means 0 pipe K.

11 using my machine ordinarily a constant flow of water is maintained from the tank G through pipe K, pump 1, hose J, drill-rod B. to the bottom of the well-bore, and then back through the casing O and out through pipe F to the tank G, washing out the borings as fast as they are made by the drill-bit. When a stratum or pocket of sand is struck which threatens to choke up the well, as above described, the valves in the housing are closed and also the valve H, thus closing the well except to the admission of water through hose J. The pump I is kept in operation,

thus increasing the pressure of the column of water in the well-bore and resulting in driving the Water into the stratum of sand, which, acting as a filter, extracts the particles of mud held in suspension in the water and forms a casing, as shown in Fi 2. In said Fig. 2, 1 represents the well-bore, 2 the stratum of sand, gravel, &c'., and 3 the mud easing formed by the method just described.

The greatest density of the mud casing 3 is immediately next to the bore 1' and decreases in density back from the bore until the pres ence of the mud ceases to be noticeable. This feature I have attempted to show by diilerences in shading in said Fig. 2.

it will be understood that as the water is used to carry oil the borings of the bit A it always holds in suspension particles of mud from which the casing 3 may be built, but that, if desired, water containing a' lar er percentage of mud in suspension may be red to the pump, so as to more quickly form the casing 3 and insure a casing of greater density when necessary.

t will be understood that by emplo ing my improved process the expense of,drilling -wells will be materially lessened, because it fluid, and then forcing more fluid into the well-bore to drive the fluid in the well-bore into the walls thereof, substantially as described.

2. The method of formin a casing for Wells consisting of filling the wel -bore with a fluid holding plastic material in solution, sealing the top ofthe well-bore to the outflow of the fluid, and then forcing more fluid holding plastic material in solution into the Well-bore to drive the fluid in the well-bore into the walls thereof, substantially as described.

3. The method of forming a casing for wells consisting of filling the well-bore with fluid holding plastic material in solution, sealing the top of the well-bore to prevent out-flow oi the fluid, and then pumping more fluid into thewell-bore to increase the pressure of the liquid contained therein and te force it into the walls thereof, substantially as described.

at. The method of forming a casing for wells consisting of filling the well-bore with fluid holding plastic material in solution, sealing the top of the well-here to prevent outflow of the fluid, and then pumping more fluid holding plastic material in solution into the wellbore to increase the pressure of the liquid contained therein and to force it into the walls thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY R. DECKER. Witnesses: a

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